Struggling with investing into Apple TV

[Hazmat401]

Anyone else struggling with investing in a Apple TV box?

I have 4 smart TVs with 2 of them being higher end Samsung’s... and our main media setup is piped through my Xbox One X

Between the smart apps on my Samsung’s and the smart apps on my Xbox for which I never use because my Samsung’s apps handles everything so well... from Netflix to Funimation

I can’t justify investing in a Apple TV... these smarts TVs can range from 2-3 grand and I find it very foolish not to get as much features use out of your TVs as you can

GUI wise yeah the apps are not as intuitive and pretty sometimes... but 98% of the time... they just work for all intents and purposes 🤷🏾‍♂️

As far as the free Apple TV+ subscription... I doubt if i’ll Ever get much use out of it outside from using it on my iPhone and future MBP

Anyone else in the same boat?

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

Hi Hazmat!
You sound exactly like a really good friend of mine at the gym who said the same thing.
He's mad about Apple products and for the gym has an iPhone X, Apple Watch and AirPods and an iMac at his apartment.
I used to tell him that he should check out Apple TV 4K and he'd say 'maybe, is it better than Amazon?' of course I fell over when he asked that and so I thought that I'd change the subject.

Later, he end up buying the Apple TV 4K and started picking up bargain iTunes films by checking out CheapCharts.

When I last saw him, I asked him how he was getting on with his Apple TV. His face beemed, a huge grin appeared and his words were... "It's the best Apple product that i've ever bought - I love it".


IMO your TV is expensive because it has a beautiful, super high quality panel, top build quality, components and speakers. Look at it like that. It's not really the apps that have to make you justify the price. In all fairness, Samsung will probably stop updating the OS for your TV in 2 or 3 years and apps may be taken away or simply stop getting updated / stop working. But it's not a problem if you use an Apple TV. The beauty of the Apple TV is its first class operating system with top end security which gets regular updates on a monthly basis. Apple seems heavily invested into Apple TV. As a sideline, the Apple TV 3 from 2012 is still giving 100% reliability to its users 7 years on and still gets occasional apps from Apple sent to it. I've been using Apple TV since October 2010 and it's great investment - it's not a throw away product line - i feel that it has a long life in 2019 than say DVD, BluRay or 4K BluRay etc.

My advice to you on a 100% honest and genuine note is simple. Buy the 64GB model and try it. Pick up a favourite iTunes 4K Dolby Vision film and see if you love it. Try Airplaying from your iPhone and see how incredible if can look on your TV.
IF it's not for you, then return it to the Apple Store within 14 days. I'm sure though that you will love it and like myself and many many other people now, it'll become the only media box that you'll use for either 100% or 99% of the time

Enjoy!

 

[Rigby]

Is there a particular reason why you are considering the Apple TV? If your smart TVs do everything you want, I'd say it's just a waste of money. Like most Apple products, it is a bit on the expensive side. Depends on your needs if it's worth the price.

Personally I have 3 ATVs (two 4s and one 4K, all 32GB) around the house and use them for practically all my watching. Some reasons:

- There are no good smart TV equivalents for some apps (such as Infuse)
- UI is better; I also like the remote much better than the usual TV remotes with dozens of buttons
- Better supported; TVs usually stop receiving updates after a couple of years or so
- The Apple TV doubles as a Homekit hub
- Smart TV manufacturers have been caught in a number of privacy violations; I have a bit more trust in Apple (and my smart TV isn't even connected to the Internet)

 

[2010mini]

My only issue with smart TV manufacturers is their abandonment of security and app updates

 

[JBaby]

Is there a particular reason why you are considering the Apple TV? If your smart TVs do everything you want, I'd say it's just a waste of money. Like most Apple products, it is a bit on the expensive side. Depends on your needs if it's worth the price.

Personally I have 3 ATVs (two 4s and one 4K, all 32GB) around the house and use them for practically all my watching. Some reasons:

- There are no good smart TV equivalents for some apps (such as Infuse)
- UI is better; I also like the remote much better than the usual TV remotes with dozens of buttons
- Better supported; TVs usually stop receiving updates after a couple of years or so
- The Apple TV doubles as a Homekit hub
- Smart TV manufacturers have been caught in a number of privacy violations; I have a bit more trust in Apple (and my smart TV isn't even connected to the Internet)

The smart TV I bought in 2012 stopped getting updated completely in 2014. Like you I don’t trust smart TVs. But I stopped using “smart” a long time before that because the apps were just so crappy and slow. And the TV would lock up and had to be unplugged all the time. Once I switched to tv I was so much happier. TVs will far outlast the smart features. My 2012 still works. I’ve only replaced it because I wanted a bigger screen.

My only issue with smart TV manufacturers is their abandonment of security and app updates

Same. I just bought a new TCL Roku TV. It’s not even connected to the internet.

 

[colodane]

If you are unhappy with your TV interface and think you would like the Apple TV, then buy it. If not, then save some $$. I have an Apple TV for use with my "dumb" TV and really enjoy it.

But, even if you decide to get one, don't consider it an "investment". Like all electronics, it will start to depreciate and become outdated as soon as you purchase it.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

If you are unhappy with your TV interface and think you would like the Apple TV, then buy it. If not, then save some $$. I have an Apple TV for use with my "dumb" TV and really enjoy it.

But, even if you decide to get one, don't consider it an "investment". Like all electronics, it will start to depreciate and become outdated as soon as you purchase it.

I disagree. My experience with Apple TV since 2010 has shown me that it doesn't become outdated as soon as you purchase it. Apple give it monthly OS updates for years and years - even the 2015 ATV 4 which is still sold is the best 'HD' box on the market - it even got the auto frame rate option 2.5 years after release.
With so many companies keen to get their apps on the Apple TV app store along with regular OS updates, it's going to be a strong contender for many years - even if you decide to upgrade every 2 or 3 years which is what I do when a new model is released, you can get at least 50% of your investment back by selling it on Ebay - there's a strong market for them! I don't know of any other streaming media box that holds its value like that OR gets regular OS updates plus the exciting big yearly one.
Even the 2012 ATV 3 is still a decent, basic but reliable performer for the person who buys iTunes films or TV series.

 

[danny842003]

I got an 86” LG last year it should a great operating system but in my opinion it’s trash.
I love the Apple TV and hate having to go back to using the android based operating system on it.
I have 3 TVs in the house and they all have one. Two 4ks and a gen 3 which got relegated to the spare room.

 

[Audit13]

The 4k picture quality seems better off my Apple TV 4k when compared to the same movie playing off my LG OLED's Google Movie app. The difference is slight at times but the difference was enough to make me keep the ATV.

 

[deviant]

this isn't "change my mind"
if you can't justify buying it but have 2k 3k tvs... it sounds silly and, in the end, just don't buy it..

 

[twanj]

Aren't Samsungs known for ads built into the TV's OS?

My friend has an amazing LG OLED and the interface is garbage - ads all over.

Luckily I still have a dumb old Sony, but looking for an upgrade when it dies.

I have a couple Apple TVs & they're wonderful.

 

[cypressc]

Buy an Apple TV 4k on Amazon. You can return, no questions asked, for 30 days. If Apple upgrades before November 1, you just return for refund. If not, keep it.

 

[danny842003]

Aren't Samsungs known for ads built into the TV's OS?

My friend has an amazing LG OLED and the interface is garbage - ads all over.

Luckily I still have a dumb old Sony, but looking for an upgrade when it dies.

I have a couple Apple TVs & they're wonderful.

I’ve got a Samsung no ads just a garbage slow laggy os

 

[archer75]

I have an LG OLED with no ads. So not sure where that came from.

I use a streaming device because I can feed it directly into my receiver for the best audio. And it's better supported. Even though the LG webOS is the best smart OS on any tv i've ever seen I can't feed HD audio to the receiver from it. And the apps are limited.

 

[cynics]

I haven't used all the smart tv brands out there but I've never felt they were anything more then "adequate enough".

I prefer the AppleTV because of consistency, Apple specific features like AirPlay and apps with its own store. But I more or less need them for HomeKit Hubs so justifying them wasn't hardware.

I don't like using a game console for two reasons. I have a Playstation and its a gaming console first and foremost so set top box features aren't as front and center like the AppleTV. However the main reason is I have a Game calibration on that HDMI input for HDR most post processing is off for fast response time. My AppleTV input is calibrated for TV and movies using all the post processing features that are beneficial to image quality.

 

[davidg4781]

First off, don't think of this as an investment. It's like buying a blender. You're going to use it, its value WILL decrease, and you'll get rid of it later on for a newer model.

Now, is it a good buy? That's up to you. I have 2 dumb TVs, 1 smart one. The smart one has some apps built in, but not all. I get a better experience with the Apple TV which is part of the reason I added a 3rd one to the smart TV. I really just watch Netflix, Hulu, and Spectrum and was able to do all that with the smart TV, just not as nice. For instance, Hulu didn't get profiles. Could I do without it? Yeah. Especially since I can't watch all 3 TVs at the time. But I bought a refurbished model, and considering the costs, I'm ok with it.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

Judging by his zero response, it's clear that Hazmat has decided not to buy one!

 

[Edd70]

If the OP spent “2-3 grand” on a TV, the cost of an ATV is chump change. The superiority of the ATV (4th gen or 4K) is so obvious compared to a smart TV that it’s not worth arguing over if someone isn’t convinced already.